Mirrors
by hanayos
Summary: Corrin and Kamui, two very different, yet close twins locked away for most of their lives, have yearned to experience the outside world. But they quickly learn the outside world is filled with hard truths and cold realities that were best kept hidden. The two siblings must learn to survive without each other when the freedom they have desired for so long drives them apart
1. Prologue

"Good evening King Sumeragi. Nohr welcomes you," Garon smirked arrogantly as he started walking towards the Hoshidan king. Even through the dim lighting of the Nohrian streets, Garon could clearly make out King Sumeragi's radiant figure standing firm and steady yards in front of him. Although Sumeragi appeared expressionless, Garon could feel the tension between the Hoshidan King and Nohrian King intensify as he approached. Any person with as many years of experience in Nohrian politics and his own position as the Nohrian King would be able to do the same.

Sumeragi narrowed his eyes as the Nohrian King approached. He could not help but notice the ungraceful, casual manner in which the King walked. Nohrians were known for their pride moreso than their grace; however, Garon strode carelessly, as though he had just single-handily dominated all of his enemies and had nothing to fear. Of course, Sumeragi understood that a King would be more comfortable meeting another from an enemy kingdom in his own territory. Nonetheless, it rubbed the Hoshidan King the wrong way.

It was one of the many things about the sudden peace treaty meeting that had worried Sumeragi. King Garon had been instigating Hoshido at every opportunity prior. Countless brigades had, coincidentally all from Nohrian territories, been terrorizing Hoshidan farm villages near the Nohr-Hoshidan border non-stop. Faceless sightings and attacks grew more common by the day. At least thirty Nohrians were on trial in Hoshidan dungeons for attempted assassinations. The King's children, Prince Ryoma, Prince Takumi, Princess Hinoka, and the infant Princess Sakura were to be protected at all times due to the rumors of assassins sent to retrieve a Hoshidan hostage. Even Queen Mikoto's twins, both whom did not originate from Hoshidan, were under constant surveillance in case of a Nohrian kidnapping. Yet while all of these events were occuring, Nohr suddenly invited the Hoshidan King and Queen to a peace meeting? Something seemed off, Sumeragi thought.

Sumeragi had pondered about not showing up at all. Even a fool could tell something was at play here. However, refusing to meet the Garon could cause confusion and misinterpretation among his people. The last thing Sumeragi wanted was for his people to get the idea that peace talks were off the table. Garon could very well use the King's absence as an excuse for full-blown war.

"I bring warm welcomes from Hoshido as well. I hope you, and your family, are doing well. We hear you are expecting another princess soon?" Perhaps starting the debate with small talk would help ease the tension between the two leaders. It at least comforted him while he stood alone in an unknown darkness that threatened to engulf him.

Garon stopped a few feet away from Sumeragi. His skin was stained a greyish taint and drooped with age. Large dark smears circled his eyes. He had seen better days, Sumeragi thought.

"Hmph, indeed. I have high hopes Princess Elise will serve her family well, as my remaining children have. But enough chit-chat," Garon's gruff voice echoed throughout the vacant streets of Cheve, "we came to discuss the...greivances highlighted in my note to you. I presume you have read it carefully?"

"I have discussed the topics mentioned in your letter with my council thoroughly," Sumeragi held his head high and kept his ground, even face-to-face with the King of Darkness. "We have all come to the same conclusions. Our Light Dragon has blessed us with good fortune and great agriculture. Your Dark dragon has granted Nohr with an abundance of steel and minerals for exceptional weaponary and crafting. You have acknowledged your lack of food, and I will acknowledge my lack of resources. We both have something to gain that we did not prior have by trading."

"So then..." Garon started.

"However," Sumeragi started again, interrupting King Garon, "we do not mean to offend, but we simply do not see a benefit in trading. Weapons and armor would be useful in times of war. However, we do not wish to involve ourselves in the matters of other countries. The Light Dragon has my people blessed us with everything we need," Sumeragi bowed, "please understand."

King Garon's smirk quickly reversed. He no longer held the careless posture he had mere moments ago. It was clear King Garon was growing impatient quickly.

"So are my people to starve, while your people prosper?" Sumeragi winced at the sudden shift in Garon's tone.

"I can offer a certain percentage of our current food inventory as a one-time celebration for our overdue talks of peace," Sumeragi had recited this countless times to nearby hostile kingdoms seeking a portion of Hoshido's wealth, "but we cannot agree to repeated shares of shipments."

Garon gritted his teeth. The negotiation had only just started and things were already looking grim. "And what about my other terms?"

Sumeragi felt his blood boil and his heart drop. He knew it would be brought up during the debate, but he failed to prepare a reply to the King's second demand: a Nohrian royal family member for a Hoshidan royal family member. Garon needed some way to ensure the Hoshidan family kept their promise, after all. "We appreciate the gesture and understand the motivation behind your terms. However, we cannot accept the terms suggested in your note."

Silence ensued between the two Kings for a moment. King Sumeragi stared coldly at the Nohrian King, and the Nohrian King stared back. After a moment, King Garon burst into laughter.

"As expected. I hoped we could come up with something today. I really did." An eery smile formed on Garon's face as he began to approach the Sumeragi. The previously silent streets of Cheve started to liven up. Something was not right. His instincts telling him to run. Right then and there, run out of the secluded alleyway. Retrieve Queen Mikoto and her twin children, and run. Common sense told him to flee; but Sumeragi knew better. For Kings- no, fathers, it is not fight or flee; it is fight or die.

Sumeragi felt his heart pound as he realized Garon stood only inches away from him now. He had adopted the prideful smirk he had before, except intensified. One look at this man would tell you he was out of his mind.

"You refuse to accept my proposals for trade. You refuse my shipment of fine Nohrian steel, claiming weapons and armor will not help you maintain prosperity and peace. Let me ask you this: what is stopping me from using my swords, lances, and bows to take what I need? What is stopping me from raiding your villages for supplies using the armies and men I obtained from obliterating other nations that refused me just as you have?" Garon grinned menacingly. "What is stopping me from striking down your high princes and princesses? Answer me, Sumeragi."

Sumeragi merely stared in response. He would not back down. Not now.

"Hmph. Disappointing." Garon frowned. "Ah well. It was a shame we could not see eye to eye," Garon turned and casually walked away from the Hoshidan King as if nothing had just happened. It almost seemed as though Garon might leave the Hoshidan King alone. Almost. Sumeragi felt his heart freeze as the sounds of armor clashing filled the streets, even after Garon had come to a sudden halt.

"Fire at will", he said it so casually, as if it was an after thought. Not seconds after Garon gave the order, thousands of arrows pierced every inch of Sumeragi's body. Pools of blood poured out of every hole pore in his body. With what little energy he had left, Sumeragi reached for his sword and unsheathed it. Through curtains of arrows, Sumeragi marched towards the Dark King using sheer will.

Garon must have noticed the dying King's persistence, as he ordered his men to seize fire with a single signal from his hand and snickered.

"Can't go peacefully, eh? No matter. This ends now." With a swift blow, Sumeragi's head rolled.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Garon roared angrily, causing a tremor throughout the Chevian palace. His lazy posture shifted, and dust that had piled up from years of vacancy fluttered throughout the throne room. "My instructions were very clear and concise. Queen Mikoto was to be captured alive for public execution. While not preferable, Mikoto's head would have sufficed as well. Yet you tell me she escaped alongside two Hoshidan prisoners AND the Hoshidan tactician?" The aged windows and walls threatened to collapse at the King's wrath.

The two Nohrian assassins assigned to Queen Mikoto shook with terror as they held their head down before King Garon. "Queen Mikoto and the tactician were supposed to be unprotected. It turns out a small unit of Hoshidan ninjas were waiting for us when we arrived."

"I need not hear more. I will take your heads myself". Garon lifted himself from his ebony throne and lifted his axe over his shoulder. He slowly trekked towards the assassin duo. "Any last words?"

"Wait, your highness! Please," the younger of the assassins frantically begged. Puddles of sweat poured down the assassin's face as he looked up towards the executioner. "We failed to retrieve the Queen, but we did find something that might be of interest fer ya'! Two of 'em!"

Garon stopped for a split second before cocking his head in confusion. The deadly look in his dark eyes disappeared for a moment. The assassin could not help but sigh in relief upon noticing the King's interest.

"The kids were with the Hoshidan lady! I mean, not crown prince or the baby one. I dunno who they are. A girl and a boy with strange features." The younger assassin shook nervously as Garon suddenly burst into laughter.

"Take me to them."

AN

Okay so this is the prologue to a story idea I've had forever (and also my first story). This is your typical m!Corrin and f!Corrin are siblings and they choose different routes, except I hope to do something different with it. I want this fic to not only rewrite the (kind of poor) characterization in Fates, but rewrite the story and events that happen within the game. The general story will be mostly the same; the details will not. You can kind of see this in this chapter (i.e. Garon still kidnaps Corrin, but Corrin is not with Sumeragi at the time of his death. I'm also adding some world-building that Fates did not originally have. Whenever I get to those parts). The character dynamic between f!Corrin and m!Corrin will be a major focus too (I had to rewrite Corrin as a character, twice...if that makes sense. I'll be able to show it more in the next chapter where they're actually featured). I hope you guys enjoy the kind of rushed prologue.


	2. The Beginning

Garon was astonished. The half-wit peasant had not been feeding him lies. Amongst dust, broken glass, and debris, Garon could make out two humanoid shapes: a pair of young children, no older than four, huddled together in a secluded corner, shaking in terror and shivering from the cold climate of Cheve.

At a first glance, the children appeared to be a pair of relatively normal-looking identical twins. They shared lustrous sterling hair, though the female's was long and wild compared to the male's slightly shorter and kept hair. The male also appeared to be slightly taller than the female. Upon closer inspection, the stranger aspects of the children's appearance became noticeable. For one, both children had more pointed ears, not unlike the legendary manaketes discussed in Nohrian and Hoshidan fairytales. Both children had deep, crimson eyes, a trait usually reserved for descendants of the ancient dragons. Even among the royalty, very few children were blessed with such red eyes. Of Garon's many, many children, only three in total possessed this marking, with two living.

If the children's features did not give their heritage away, their behaviors did. Garon could not help but notice the male child clutching desperately to a small stone, almost as if it was a teddy bear. The stone was not particularly interesting at first glance. It was only slightly above average size; an adult could easily fit it in one palm, but it might be too much for a child with two. The color was washed out and it did not shine. Even through poor lighting, it was clear the stone had seen some age. However, it glowed a soft blue and had a turquoise tint to it. The stone, while heavily scratched, was slightly see-through, like marbles.

" _Dragonstone_ ," Garon mumbled softly, amazed at the sight before him. There was no doubt about it. He recalled a memory from his days training to be King of Nohr. As future King of Nohr, Garon had been expected to learn about Nohrian economy, and by exetension, Nohrian geography, history, and minerals, as they are a major part of Nohrian trade. He recalled his tutor's words.

"No matter to what lengths a dragon goes to, they will always meet a face worse than death: insanity." The dragons of old knew this. But not all hope was lost for the dragon race. While the dragons knew they could not escape destiny, they could at least prolong it. And they did. The ancient dragons of old used the magical properties of Dragonstone to buy more time.

Even in the days of the dragons, the stone was extremely rare. As time passed, the stone only got harder to obtain. A sliver of Dragonstone would give a man everything he could ever desire. This bugged Garon. How could such a small child get into possession of one? It would not be out of the question to assume the child received it from the Hoshidan Queen. Yet as far as Garon knew, the stone could only be found in select locations in one of the many countries in the world, which neither Queen Mikoto nor even Garon himself could currently access.

As Garon observed the children, another question came to mind. Who exactly were these children? Sumeragi had only announced four legitimate children. As far as the Nohrian king was aware of, none of which could possibly be the children before him. They were too old to be Crown Prince Ryoma and Princess Hinoka, yet too young to be baby Prince Takumi and infant Princess Sakura. They could not possibly be of Sumeragi and Queen Ikana, the first Hoshidan queen. If the children were not Hoshidan, then why would Hoshidan royalty shelter them? The Hoshidans were not particularly known for their acceptance of foreigners, especially Queen Ikana. Of course, King Sumeragi was more accepting than most Hoshidans. He did, after all, court and marry a foreigner. As to why Sumeragi never accepted the twins before him as official Hoshidan royalty, perhaps Sumeragi was never their father to begin with. The only possibility Garon could think of is Mikoto birthed them before her marriage to Sumeragi. His spies in Hoshido did occasionally report the presence of two additional children.

At any rate, they were, no doubt, Queen Mikoto's children. And for that fact alone, Garon could not let them be. He wasn't sure what he would do with them. Public execution initially crossed his mind. It would definitely send a message to Mikoto, who would serve as the leader of Hoshido until Ryoma came of age. However, he wasn't exactly sure that executing two innocent children, even potential Hoshidans, was a good idea. Even most loyal Nohrians would see his head on a platter before a child harmed, even during times of war.

' _They could be hostages'_ Garon pondered. Perhaps better hostages than even the crown prince himself, what with being Mikoto's only direct children. ' _How ironic would it be if Mikoto's own children were used against her kingdom._ '

It was then that the perfect idea popped into his head. Almost too perfect of an idea. The children could be his hostages AND his own soldiers in the war to come. The Hoshidan kingdom would fall to the hands of it's own people. He could train the pair of twins to be strong. He would use their status of Hostage to motivate them to fight against Hoshido. All of the pieces fell into place. He had all of the tools and resources to pull it off. He would have to keep them locked up tight while keeping them loyal. One of the fortresses near the capital could serve as the prison. Mikoto would not be able to lay a finger on them without rousing suspicion, and Garon could keep a close eye on them without them learning too much about the world. The fortress he had in mind was equipped with a training ground, library, and multiple rooms. Due to the location being close to the castle, he would not have to station too many guards to keep watch. It was the perfect comfy prison.

He would have to keep them loyal to Nohr while he held them. Even secluded from reality, the kids would eventually start asking questions. And unanswered questions could lead to unnecessary curiosity. Like all soldiers, they needed motivation to keep going, even long after learning the truths of their past. What they needed, Garon concluded, were authentic ties to Nohr. Family. Friends. A reason to live.

Garon had the perfect solution _. Xander._ His own son Xander would serve as the link between the children and Nohr. Xander could train them to be strong pawns and loyal members of the Nohrian royal family. No, not just Xander. All of his surviving children could help the cause. Elise and Leo were young, and would easily attach themselves to the twins. It was not too late for Xander and Camilla to form strong bonds to the twins, especially given their recent sibling loss and familial trauma. If the children did not bond to the Nohrian royal children, they would certainly bond to the sisters in a similar he also kept secluded at the fortress.

The children would be raised to believe they were Nohrian royals. All of the Nohrian children had different mothers, so he need not explain their differences in appearance. The obvious differences could be used in his favor. He could use it as the very reason for their isolation. When the children proved themselves to be worthy, he could use them to declare war on Hoshido. If necessary, he could dispose of one without sacrificing too much. The Nohrian king busted into laughter.

It was then that the children noticed the King. The male child cried harder and hid in the corner, clutching his Dragonstone tightly. Unlike her male counterpart, the female child stood up. She stood up and glared at the King, like a knight facing a dragon. If she weren't shaking frantically and holding her brother's hand tightly, Garon might of believed her to be fearless. It amused -and almost impressed- Garon.

"You already have Nohrian spirit," Garon mused as he approached, destroying any leftover furniture and debris that crossed his path with a single kick. The girl quickly crumbled to the ground in a crying state next to her brother as the large man towered over her.

"Your mother abandoned you," Garon snickered while the pair of twins cried louder, "you are mine now."

AN

This chapter was originally longer. There was supposed to be a flashback from Mikoto's escape and a scene with Mikoto and her council following her children's kidnapping. But then my computer crashed and didn't save ANY of what I had written. Rip. I will include them later (I kind of forgot to explain how Mikoto left without her children and I want to give her more character before she dies). Probably whenever Kaze is introduced and then again whenever the Corrins reunite with Mikoto. I think it would fit better into the story that way anyway (and I can start writing about the twins' lives in Nohr and stuff next chapter).

Thanks for the reviews, favs, and follows guys


	3. Kamui

"Your mother abandoned you."

Kamui's memory of that day was hazy. He could not remember her face, her voice, or even her personality; still, for some reason, his father's words clawed at his heart, even several years later.

For years, he resented his mother. To this day, Corrin refused to discuss their upbringing, even with the one person in the world who could understand her pain. He could not find it in his heart to blame her. Their so-called "mother" betrayed them. How selfish could she be, to sacrifice her own children to assassins for her own well-being? Had Garon not saved him that day, he would have certainly died alongside his sister.

But the older Kamui grew, the less he hated his mother. Instead of blindly hating his mother, he started to ask: why? Why didn't she love him? Why did she leave him to die? He needed to know the reasons behind his mother's actions. If he did something to make his mother hate him, he would not rest until he knew.

All of the answers to his questions were linked to his past, Kamui thought, which was currently out of his grasp. Hours and hours of meditation and trying to remember did him no good. He tried various techniques he read about in the many psychology books scattered around the drafty fortress library, and even rigorous hexes he had practiced with Leo, but to no avail. His broken memory would not rekindle.

But he didn't lose hope. One day, he would break free from the confinements of his isolated fortress- into the world outside. If…if their mother was still alive, he would learn the truth of what happened that fateful day. Together, Corrin and Kamui would reclaim the shattered pieces that made up their past.

Kamui sighed as he threw his long, velvet blankets across the room lazily and forced himself out of bed. The Nohrian morning chill was very much welcomed this morning, as he was drenched with sweat that had built up during the night. He had that awful dream again.

He could never remember the dream's setting in great detail. All he could make out through blur and fuzz were crumbling walls of black and white. Beneath him lay a clean checkerboard floor.

Across from him, a black and silver dragon roared with fury, causing the walls and floor beneath him to tremble violently. Behind the ebony dragon lay four black chess pieces: the king, queen, knight, and bishop. The chess pieces were life-size and took on an offensive formation. They bore no human shape nor expression, yet Kamui could feel the oppression and hate seething from them.

Kamui himself took on the form of a majestic ivory and silver dragon. And at his side, four white chess pieces of his own took a defensive position: a king, queen, knight, and bishop similar to the ones supporting the black dragon.

No matter how many times he dreamt it, the background and setting remained consistent: a black dragon locked in combat with a white dragon, both supported by teams of four chess pieces. While the basic premise of the dream stayed the same, the course of the dream altered every time he had it. In one version where the White Dragon triumphed, the White Dragon took out the Black King after the Black Bishop was taken out. The Black Knight and Black Queen remained. In another, the White King was sacrificed to protect the White Queen, while the White Knight had been lost before the game had even begun. The White Queen and Bishop pieces were successfully defended, but all proved futile. The Black Dragon won anyway.

The dream this time initially followed the pattern. The white dragon faced off against a black one, aided by four life-size chess pieces. This time, the Black King engaged the White King, while the other pieces fought against their respective counterparts.

Like previous versions, the black dragon took the initial charge towards the white dragon. It lunged at the white dragon with it's sharper teeth and longer claws. Also similar to previous versions, the white dragon immediately nullified the attack using it's higher-quality armored scales and longer horns. This enraged the black dragon, which followed up with a headbutt. The white dragon countered with a headbutt of it's own.

In most adaptions of the dream, the violent struggle with the black dragon did not last long. The remaining white or black chess pieces would quickly outnumber the opposing side, allowing the victor to be deduced relatively early. This had been the case for all but one version of the dream Kamui had experienced.

But not this time. This time, the black pieces did not outnumber the white pieces, nor did the white pieces triumph over the black pieces. Without a decisive champion, battle between the black dragon and white dragon resumed. The chess pieces continued to charge at the opposing side.

Until none were left.

By the end of the dream, all that remained were the collapsed corpses of the black and white dragons. All chess pieces, black and white, had been eliminated from the board. Both dragons were missing chunks of armored skin and teeth. Thick crimson blood oozed out of the cracks between their scales.

"What does it mean," Kamui wiped tears out of his exhausted eyes and shook his head softly. The cold winds seeping through his barred window helped Kamui style his hair into a slightly unkept, yet refined look. His blurry gaze shifted back to his disorganized bed. His body felt heavy. Every part of him wanted to bounce back in and close his eyes for "five more minutes".

He seriously considered it for a minute. Until he caught wind of the clashing of blades not far from his isolated tower. It was then that he remembered. Today was a very important day. It was his eighteenth birthday.

But that was not the reason he had looked forward to this day. He had been preparing for nearly his entire life up to this point. His future depended on this day.

"Princess Corrin. Prince Kamui. My beloved children," his father – the king- addressed the twin siblings, now eight years old, with a stern face. His large figure cast a large shadow over the twins. "It has been four years since you were welcomed into the Nohr royal family. I trust you have grown accustomed to your new life?"

The two silently nodded in response. Father rarely had time to visit them in their secluded home. Even as his own son, it was an honor to be in his presence.

"I expected no less from my children", Garon must have been satisfied with their answer, "well then….do you know why I am here today?"

Kamui and Corrin exchanged looks of confusion and curiosity. Kamui could not help but notice Corrin subtly twiddling her fingers nervously.

Garon grunted at their silence. "As you both know, you were not born into the Nohrian royal family like your siblings were. Rather, you were….accepted into it," Kamui was sure it was meant to be a compliment. Yet it stung his heart all the same. Kamui desperately longed to share the bond that Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise had. He would never openly admit it, but he had cried the night he learned of his true heritage.

"Your mother was visiting from Hoshido when I found you, scared and helpless." Kamui felt himself heating up further, while Corrin flinched slightly at the harsh reminder. "As for the rest….you've heard the story," Kamui felt Garon's intense glare shift towards him. It made him slightly tense. He felt like a small, insignificant ant compared to his father, "Kamui, you know I do not run an orphanage. Can you tell me why I so readily welcomed you and your sister, despite your affiliation with our sworn enemy?"

Kamui shifted uncomfortably. "We were saved because we are of the first dragons," Kamui paused. Garon clearly wasn't happy with the young prince's response; he stared at Kamui coldly, as if expecting more. "And….because we can bring glory to the people of Nohr."

"And how will you two bring glory to Nohr? Corrin, if you will," Kamui was internally sighing with relief as Garon changed focus to his sister.

"By crushing the Hoshidan army and all who stand in our way", her answer was swift and full of enthusiasm. She held her head high as she spoke. "We will claim the Hoshidan throne and all its bounty for the people of Nohr."

"Good answer. Well then, I shall repeat myself once more. Kamui. Corrin. You know I do not enjoy small talk over tea. Tell me, my children, why do you think I have travelled all the way from the castle to see you today?"

Corrin and Kamui exchanged confused glances once more.

"Because," Kamui started, his voice shaking slightly. He could feel his heart pounding as he spoke. He desperately hoped his answer would not disappoint his father. "We are ready to serve our purpose."

Garon nodded in approval.

"Close enough. Up to this day, you two have lived comfortable lives under my care. That ends today," Garon bluntly declared. He then proceeded to snap his fingers. Not seconds after, three guards rushed into the room carrying a thick black case. The crate was a little taller and wider than Kamui. A strange purple glare seemed to be emitting from it.

When the guards were in reach, Garon tore the crate violently from their hands and tossed it on the ground beneath him. With a single kick, the source of the glare came flying out. After bouncing a few times, a pitch black scimitar landed neatly at Corrin's feet.

"This is Ganglari. It is a sword from a land far away from here," Kamui was too interested in the fine details of the blade to care what his father was saying. It was unlike any sword he had seen at the fortress: this sword had a strange curve to it. It had many knicks in the blade and had clearly seen some age. Before Kamui could make any more observations, Corrin dashed forward and attempted to snatch the blade up, but quickly stumbled backwards due to the sheer size of the blade. Kamui struggled to maintain a straight face as he watched his sister struggle to keep her balance. Garon did not seem as amused.

"Hmph. As expected, you are too young- no, too _weak_ to wield such a fine weapon," Garon pried the blade from Corrin's tiny fingers and tossed it aside. The guards from before quickly retrieved it and carefully packed it in the case it had been delivered in. "From this day forward, I will be sending Xander to teach you both the ways of the sword. Corrin," Garon's stern gaze burned in Corrin, "I will not accept mediocre work from you. Until you can defeat the best swordsmen in all of Nohr, you will not join your siblings in the battle against Hoshido. Ever."

"What about Kamui?" Corrin voiced his exact thoughts. "Will he also have to master the sword?"

For a brief moment, Garon closed his eyes in deep thought.

"I do not harbor weak children. Both of you will train under Xander until you come of age. However, only you will be expected to master it. As for your brother," Kamui's heart skipped a beat as he noticed Garon's attention shift to him, "Aside from Xander, who is still in training himself, Nohr currently lacks a lead tactician that is both resourceful and capable of assisting on the frontlines. Kamui will fill that gap."

Garon turned his back on the pair of twins. Kamui let out a silent sigh of relief as he realized his father was leaving. Corrin must had felt the same, Kamui figured, as her tense expression softened. "I do not have any more time to waste here. I expect results by your coming of age. Corrin, if you or your brother ever hope to leave this fortress, train hard. Kamui….I expect no less from you. Like your siblings, you two bear the blood of the dragons. Use any tools necessary to achieve your goal, even your own heritage. Do not disappoint me."

"Lord Kamui! M-may I come in?" Before Kamui could answer, A young pink-haired maid not much older than Kamui opened the door slightly and peaked inside. It was one of Kamui's two personal retainers, Felicia. Her ice-blue eyes met his. _Jeez Felicia._ The maid must have noticed her mistake, as she followed up with a low bow, but not without a stumble. "I'm sorry, Lord Kamui! It's just I heard some noise up here and I thought you might be up, t-that's all!"

"No problem, Felicia. What's got you up so early?" Kamui smiled softly. It surprised – and impressed- the prince to see the maid so energetic this early. Usually, his other retainer and Felicia's own sister, Flora, would be first to greet him. Then his mentor, Gunter, shortly after. Then Felicia in the afternoon.

"Ah, well," Felicia looked down with a gloomy expression on her face, "Flora told me it's your last day in the fortress. And I didn't want to miss you."

"Yes, today I am leaving for the castle. As a prince of Nohr, I cannot live here forever. My siblings need me," Kamui felt his face and heart warm up at the maid's words, "but I can't leave without you, Felicia. Where's Flora?"

Felicia's expression lifted at the prince's words. "Flora is at the stables preparing your horse. She already packed your stuff for the trip. I just wanted to come early in case I missed you. And…" Felicia pushed the door open to reveal a set of armor similar to the one he usually wore, except clean and free of scratches. "Happy birthday!"

The armor did not have any strikingly different features or design changes that his current armor lacked. The clashing grey and white sections of the armor were exactly like his own, used armor. Yet it made Kamui happy all the same. "Thank you, Felicia."

After retrieving his armor switching clothes Kamui hurriedly rushed from his room and drifted down the spiral of stairs leading to the fortress's main hall, the lit candles along the wall guiding his path through the darkness.

"Good morning and happy birthday, young master," A familiar masculine voice greeted him as Kamui was reaching the base of the stairs. The somewhat young butler had long, silver hair tied by a purple ribbon into a neat ponytail and wore regal clothes, for a servant. It was none other than Jakob, the head of the butlers and maids at the fortress, and his sister's personal retainer. "Care for some tea?"

"Thanks, but I'll pass," Kamui smiled in appreciation. When Kamui arrived at the fortress with his sister, they had both been assigned servants that would look after and take care of their needs. A "welcoming gift", his father had called it. Jakob, a child from low-ranking nobility that had been abandoned, looking for work and shelter, was assigned to serve Corrin. Meanwhile, Kamui had been assigned the pair of sisters from one of the elemental tribes in Nohr as his personal servants.

Jakob frowned in disappointment. "Perhaps you would rather coffee today? I have a fresh blend brewing as we speak."

"Not today, Jakob," Kamui wondered if Jakob was bored without Corrin around to pester him with chores. She always needed someone to do her laundry, brush her hair, fold her clothes, clean her armor…..Nevertheless, Kamui felt a little bad turning down Jakob's offers.

"I see," the young butler sighed. "Then let me get the door for you. I will not accept no for an answer."

Strong, chilly winds crashed against Kamui as soon as he exited the warmth of the fortress interior, leaving his once-styled hair in shambles. Oddly enough, Nohr's eternal sea of stars served better lighting than the chandeliers and wall candles placed generously throughout the fortress's buildings.

Using candle sticks and the stars as his guide, Kamui hastily hurried through the vacant courtyard. Most of the maids and guards that usually occupied the area had been absent. Occasionally one or two would pass by him and bow, but other than that it was unusually quiet. Perhaps they had been called to assist with Kamui and Corrin's transfer to the capital. The prince had quite enjoyed their company, especially on days where Xander and his other siblings were busy, but he also liked the muted atmosphere. He felt his heart pound faster and faster as the sound of clashing blades grew louder, until the source of noise was right around the corner.

Across from him, two familiar figures, one male and one female, collided blades. The male, a tall man with blonde hair and fair complexion, waited in place patiently, almost as if taunting his opponent, with a regal composure. His black sword spit sparks of lilac and plum, in contrast to the female's basic silver sword typically used by knights of Nohr. The female dashed in for an attack, but she was struck down with ease like a house fly. Kamui admired prince Xander's grand appearance.

"Steady your blade and focus," Xander's command rung loudly throughout the clearing, "how can you hope to defeat me with a posture like that?"

The female figure let out a groan of annoyance, before readjusting her position. She brushed her long, wavy hair out of her face, before taking an offensive position. She bore Kamui's face and armor, but with softer and more feminine features. Her long, wild hair reached past her back and her build was slightly smaller than Kamui's. Rage and energy surged through Corrin's scarlet eyes as she readied her blade for a second attack.

"Don't even try it," Xander frowned, "you know better than to make that beginner's mistake. Let your emotions fuel you, but don't let them control you. Try again."

Corrin pulled at her hair in frustration. Despite this, her previously scarlet face slowly faded to its natural light tone. Kamui could not help but grin as he observed the two warriors duel.

"Mindless slashing won't work. Look for an opening", Kamui recited the basics of swordplay to the warrior. Both Xander and Kamui turned at the dragon prince's voice in surprise. Corrin sighed in irritation, while Xander sent him a glare of annoyance.

"Kamui, don't help her. Corrin needs to land a single hit on me on her own. If she can do that," Xander smiled, "well, I'll give you the details if she succeeds."

"Don't you mean WHEN I succeed," Corrin boasted with confidence, her head held high in pride. She balanced her sword and poised her posture for the again for a hundredth time. Careful not to trip on some nearby rocks, she balanced her feet and swooped in for a strike.

 _Too slow._

Xander countered her with a single swing of his blade, sending Corrin flying backwards. Her reflexes kicked in, and she performed a perfect mid-air flip, allowing her to land safely on her feet with a little friction.

"Corrin," Kamui called out to his sister, to Xander's visible displeasure. Kamui understood why Xander disliked Kamui's interference with the duel. At the same time, Garon had never explicitly stated he could not lend a hand or two, at least to his knowledge. Especially considering his own future depended on the outcome of the battle. "If you can't find an opening _, create one_."

For a brief moment, Corrin tilted her head and stared at Kamui in confusion. Kamui glanced at the ground, and then at Xander. Xander's previous scrunched face had faded into a neutral, poker face, making it hard for Kamui to determine if he understood exactly what he was suggesting.

Kamui suddenly felt an anchor weighing down on his heart. His face turned a bright red. Negative thoughts suddenly rushed into his mind as Corrin stared at him, dumbfounded. Kamui had always admired his sister. She had always been stronger, faster, and well-liked by their father. At times, even Xander seemed to prefer her over him. Jealousy and hatred tormented him when he watched her train with Xander from his window, or when his siblings remarked about her perfectionism in swordplay. He hated how Corrin possessed everything he desired, but he also admired her for it. She was his rival and his hope.

He had never once thought that his sister might possibly _lose_ \- until that moment. What if she couldn't beat Xander? What if she failed, and they were to live in the prison they called a home forever? Would their father even keep them around without a use? What if, what if, what if….

After a moment, Corrin turned her attention back to her opponent and balanced her weight perfectly between her feet. She raised her sword in an initial defensive position, like she had done before. Finally, the dragon princess let out a war cry has she charged at Xander full-speed. Xander narrowed his eyes and readied his blade in a defensive position, ready to swat her away like he had done before. As Corrin neared, Xander raised his sword for the blow, and-

And then it happened. The earth began to tremble slightly, though Xander and Corrin maintained perfect balance. A pale blue glow began to swallow Corrin as she last-minute switched to the defensive. Xander blinked once, while a delightful smile formed on Kamui's face as he realized what was going on. His father's words echoed into his mind. "Like your siblings, you two bear the blood of the dragons. Use any tools necessary to achieve your goal, even your own heritage."

As Xander slammed his sword down to strike his opponent, the earth beneath Corrin rose. Now levitating several feet above even Xander, Corrin raised her sword and thrusted downwards full-force. Xander, having seemingly realized what was going on, lifted his sword in defense.

For a moment, Xander's purple sword clashed with Corrin's silver. Xander's arm shook fiercely as he struggled to maintain a strong grip. The counter had been successful- but it was too late. Within seconds, the silver sword dominated, breaking through Xander's guard.

Corrin had landed the first blow.

AN

Andddd here's the first real chapter. Hopefully it's not too rushed or awkward to read; I was having trouble with the pacing. I want certain parts of the prologue to be written from Kamui's perspective, and others Corrin.

So my idea of Kamui is that he's a lot like the Corrin we see in the game with some differences. For one, he's not like super good at swordplay or anything. He's above average, but not as good as Garon expects him to be (maybe a little below Xander). I doubt Garon would bother training Kamui if he couldn't be useful, so I decided to have him take on a more supportive, but useful role (the tactician). I think it's more suited to his personality anyway. That being said, he's not defenseless (can't show until late in the prologue) but Corrin is supposed to be better at using swords (despite her questionable actions in this chapter). I also intend to have Kamui grow as a character a lot more than Corrin did in the game.

Also, there are some major story differences in this chapter right off the bat. I originally didn't expect to introduce Ganglari early. But when I was thinking about how I'm going to handle the Yato and Azura, an idea involving it popped into my mind. Dunno if I'm gonna go through with it. When writing this chapter, I last-minute decided to change the way dragon veins work kind of. In the game, there's no really consistency with dragon veins. But in this story, I decided to add some limitations and consistency with the dragon veins. The Nohrians can use dragon veins to alter the terrain (like shown here with the earth), while Hoshidans can use the power to change like….sky-stuff (like the wind in that one chapter). Dunno how to explain it. Also, dragon veins work like alchemy in the sense that they can't be used without equivalent exchange (in this chapter, Corrin just used it to reshape the ground that was already there).

I also think I know what pairings I want for Corrin and Kamui. I once had an idea for a fic – "Why Dragons Go Mad" – following Corrin's descent into dragon madness. Part of that fic involved Laslow x Corrin. I was thinking of incorporating the ideas I had for that instead. And then for Kamui….I was thinking Oboro or Sakura. I have ideas for both potential pairings.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to reading reviews!


	4. Corrin

A young Corrin kicked her legs back and forth as she toyed with a random doll she found lying around the fortress interior. She leaned back on the crimson couches lazily and let out a deep yawn, making sure to turn her face backwards so she would not be caught by the watchful eyes of her older teenage brother, Xander. Her body ached from sitting in the same spot for a long time. At this point, she was unsure of how long she had been sitting there, listening to Xander's monologues about topics she did not completely understand. Corrin glanced out the small, barred window on the wall behind her. Based on the position of the stars, Corrin guessed half the day had gone by.

She had been forced out of her comfortable bed early that morning: "for training", Gunter had claimed. Corrin's heart was still aching of disappointment and betrayal. Listening to her older brother talk was _not_ her idea of training. She wanted to practice her swordplay. Even if Xander would not teach her new moves, just mindlessly beating straw dummies would be better than this torture.

'Why do Kamui and Leo get out of this,' Corrin bitterly thought. It was at that moment that the girl realized: she had no idea what Kamui did when he wasn't being forced to train with Corrin. Heck, she rarely even saw her toddler brother, though Kamui spoke of him often. On most days, Xander would arrive early, before the frost on her window could even melt, for one-on-one mentoring. She would train and train and train until the late afternoon, right before her servants prepared her dinner. When Kamui wasn't passed out on the library floor, he was not home. And Corrin never expected him home on those days until around bed time. Even then, he was usually pre-occupied with books with words Corrin could not read yet.

At any rate, Kamui was not allowed to train with the duo on most days. The prince had claimed that Corrin and Kamui needed to learn to be independent of each other, so it would be best to train the twins separately, though Corrin wandered if Xander lacked the time to train both at once, especially given Xander's duties as crown prince and Kamui's….clumsy swordplay. One of her earliest memories was of Kamui accidentally slicing off a lock of Xander's hair just trying to balance the sword. In the moment, Corrin felt bad for Xander, and worried for her twin's punishment. Reflecting back on it, Corrin would never stop finding Xander's face of increasing displeasure amusing.

"Corrin! Pay attention!" Xander angrily scolded, having seemingly noticed Corrin's lack of interest. _Crap._

Corrin's eyes shifted around nervously until they made their way to Xander's face. Even through the shrouds of darkness, Corrin could feel Xander's gaze burning her skin.

"But I am!" Corrin noticed her heart rate increase as she spoke. She rubbed her thumb against the couch restlessly as she anticipated Xander's response.

Xander just narrowed his eyes. A moment of awkward silence ensued, before Xander placed the book he had been citing from religiously up until that point. He placed it carefully on a wooden shelf in the corner, but not before replacing it with a different book. It was hard to see from the angle she had been sitting in, but Corrin could make out the gold words "knighthood", "Nohr", and some strange word that she had never seen before engraved into the cover.

"Well then," Xander turned to face the dragon princess again, his expression unmoving. "Since you have been listening carefully, can you tell me what it is the knights of Nohr live by?"

Corrin stared back at Xander, dumbfounded. His stern expression and the tension made her heart race faster. "Um….."

"The Code of Knighthood and Chivalry of Nohr, written by King Harold the Third of Nohr, is a holy text among knights," Xander sighed, flipping through pages of the text mindlessly, "it is among the first things taught to young children aspiring to be knights. Some aspects of Nohr's judicial system and laws are based on excerpts from this text. Surely you can at least name the codes recorded in it?"

"Um….One shall serve thy country….one shall serve thy family…." Corrin muttered nervously.

"One shall serve thy country", Xander repeated, "everything you do should be done with your country in mind. Nohr has zero tolerance for treason; even father- the king, cannot be excepted from this policy. One shall serve thy family….I trust I don't have to explain this one. One shall serve thy religion. We are direct descendants of the dusk dragons of old. They have blessed us with the power and strength to take what we need, and we repay them with worship," Xander pointed to a silk tapestry on the wall behind him, depicting a pure black armored dragon. "One shall conquer all enemies of thy religion...One shall act as a servant of injustice and law…. One shall not lie, _Corrin,_ " Corrin's ears twitched slightly at Xander's emphasis of her name.

"What if defending your homeland means betraying your family?" Corrin, almost mindlessly, asked as the idea popped into her head. A prideful smile formed on the princess's face as she realized her brother could not immediately rebut her.

Xander stared long and hard at the young princess with no visible emotion. After a few moments, he returned her smile. Corrin's heart fluttered as he ruffled her silver hair.

"You're a feisty one, little princess. I trust you'll use those emotions wisely when you join me, along with Camilla, Kamui, Leo, and hopefully Elise, on the front lines," Xander's smile slowly faded to his usual stern frown, "but make no mistake, those very emotions can be your undoing. If….if anyone other than you had asked that question, father might have your head hanging from a spike on our border walls." Corrin couldn't help but notice Xander's lips curl slightly at his mention of King Garon. It was unlike him to show such irritation, especially when talking about _his father_. "To answer your question….I believe you might be missing the point of the vows we take on as Nohrian citizens. We do not serve our King because we like him or even because it the just thing to do. We serve our King for one sole purpose: in the name of Nohr. As members of the Nohrian royal family, we especially must work together for the well-being of our people. Failing to work in benefit of the people is called treason," Corrin flinched, "and nobody is excused from treason. Not you, not Camilla, not me. Not even Father. If a day comes where I turn my back on the people, I expect you to strike me down swiftly with your blade: like I taught you. Show me no mercy."

Corrin stared at Xander, her mouth wide open in awe. His eyes, filled with hope and determination, stared back. A quiet moment passed between the two.

"Ah well," Xander broke the silence, "I suppose lecturing you further would be pointless. We can resume your education another day-" Xander returned the book he held to it's home on the dusty oak shelf. Before turning back to Corrin, he pulled something that Corrin could not see from behind the desk. For a moment, Corrin swore she saw a small smile form on Xander's face. Corrin's eyes lit up when Xander turned to reveal a small, wooden training sword. "I'm getting tired of talking, and clearly you are full of energy today. How about a spar?"

Corrin held her high proudly as she towered above her brother's collapsed body. Her long, silver hair, illuminated by the moon, shone brightly as it blew to the side with the wind. Her crimson eyes pierced all who gazed upon her. She slowly rose her silver sword so that it's fine edges and tip, before swiftly pointing it at Xander. She had won.

"Well done, little princess", Through desperate gasps for air, Xander smiled softly as he rose from the ground, "for a moment, you had me worried. Nonetheless, you have exceeded my expectations."

Corrin felt her body heat up and her face turn red. Even the chilly climate could not cool her. Her heart felt like it would escape her body at any moment.

"Oh, well," Corrin's smug gaze shifted to the side slowly and her pointed ears twitched slightly, "I wasn't that worried either."

"Is that so? I have to say, I was a little worried myself," Kamui remarked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. Corrin did not even spare him a glance. Seeing Kamui – her one and only _equal_ – smugly grinning at her would only irritate her further.

"Shut up!" Corrin snapped. Her face heated up further. She turned her head away from Kamui's direction and crossed her arms. "I didn't _need_ your help."

"Oh? My future depended on the outcome of this duel too, y'know," At that moment, Corrin wanted nothing more than to silence her twin brother. "I was watching your duel for a little bit before I called out to you. You got your butt handed to you. Countless times."

"Pfft. I don't want to hear it from someone who accidentally confused hair gel for tooth paste," Corrin sneered back, keeping her head held high "I went without my hair done that day because you thought you could use it to clean your teeth.

Kamui's smirk faded into the beginning of a scowl. "That doesn't count! I was half-asleep! And what does that have to do with swordplay?"

"Jeez…..aren't you both supposed to be adults now?" Before Corrin could strike down her brother with a rebuttal, a third party interrupted. Both twins halted their argument in shock.

Even with highly sensitive and trained ears, neither twin had heard him coming. Through heavy armor, he was as quiet as a mouse. His short blonde hair should have stood out in the darkness of Nohr, yet still he blended in with the shadows. Corrin expected no less from Prince Leo of Nohr.

And that wasn't all. Behind him, a tall young woman with long, wavy hair – a little more kept than Corrin's – watched the pair of twins with a gentle expression. Princess Camilla could be a little…extreme at times. Yet her gaze was always filled with warmth. And next to her-

"Big sis! Big bro!" A young girl, no older than fourteen, dashed forward eagerly straight for Kamui. Her twin leaned down to greet the girl as she crashed into his arms. Elise smiled radiantly as she twirled in her brother's arms. Her thick blonde-purple locked, tied into large pigtails, flowed lightly as she danced.

"And Elise…" Leo took a spot in the moonlight, next to Xander. His red eyes and blonde hair glimmered like stars. Unlike Xander, whom was still relaxing after dueling with Corrin all morning, Leo stood upward, his back and shoulders straight. He cupped his hands in a neat position behind his back and wore a rather stoic glare, not too different from the one Xander often took on during training. "According to Nohrian laws, you're technically old enough to be wed off, you know."

Leo's cold expression and serious posture should have intimidated Corrin. And yet….Corrin struggled not to burst into laughter as she realized his black collar was dyed scarlet, the gold trim was missing, and the seams and stitches were more noticeable than usual. Kamui must have noticed it too, Corrin guessed, as she noticed his lips twitching as he tried not to smile.

"What? Why are you two looking at me like that?" Leo narrowed his eyes at the twin dragons.

"Oh," Corrin side-eyed Kamui in her attempt to avoid eye contact with Leo at all costs, "it's nothing. Right Kamui?"

"Oh yeah, nothing. Nothing at all," Kamui, still struggling to keep the mischievous smirk hidden, scratched the back of his neck lightly and nervously looked sideways.

Despite their previous argument, Kamui's smile never failed to warm Corrin's heart. It reminded her of the days when the two could spend hours upon hours playing with her small, but close family in the isolated fortress. She especially loved her memories of days in which Xander would visit. She recalled how she and Kamui would cry together in frustration when Xander would defeat them at every game. And the satisfaction of impressing Xander when the two would team up and create a plan to defeat him.

In those days, Corrin never worried about pleasing their father or the possibility that they may go to war with an alien country or….the possibility that she may cross paths with her mother during the campaign . Her world was just Kamui, Felicia, Flora, Jakob, and Gunter. How it tugged at Corrin that she would never have those carefree afternoons….

Leo, having seemingly figured out from the twins strange mannerisms, were laughing at _him_ , frowned as he pulled at his inside-out collar. In that single moment, his perfect posture collapsed, and his mouth dropped. He shook frantically as he stared at the fabric in horror.

"Oh jeez, I did it again. How can I present myself like this to father?" Leo pulled lightly at his hair and closed his eyes in shame.

Xander and Camilla smiled softly as they observed their younger siblings, while Elise, Corrin, and Kamui began to tear up.

"Now that I think about it…..You did this yesterday too, Leo," Elise, arms folded behind, tapped her chin in a light rhythm and looked upward in thought.

"Why didn't you guys say something earlier? This is embarrassing," Leo glared at the youngest princess, shaking harder from indignation as Elise continued to antagonize him with her cheerful demeanor.

"Now, now children," Camilla's soothing voice rung loud and clear, "don't tell me you forgot why we're here today?" Corrin turned hot red as Camilla proudly strutted towards her from the shadows. She wrapped her arms around the shorter princess and pulled her close. "Don't we all have something important to say?"

"Oh yeah! Happy! Birthday! Yay!" Elise excitedly squealed as she dragged Kamui over to Corrin. She snatched Corrin's hand tightly in her free hand, and began to tug at the twins fiercely. Leo's distraught expression lifted slightly as he watched.

"Well yes, my darlings are growing up" Camilla closed her eyes. She maintained her gentle, motherly expression, though Corrin caught hints of sadness in her voice, "isn't there something else?"

"Corrin. Kamui," This time Xander spoke up. He slowly walked over to Corrin and rested his hand on her shoulder. "Surely even in isolation you are aware of Nohr's current relationship with our neighboring country Hoshido?"

Both twins nodded in union, their attention focused solely on Xander. Kamui shifted from side to side nervously, while Corrin's body stiffened, and her face turned red at the mention of Hoshido. She didn't need to hear an explanation of the current situation with Hoshido, nor did she want to hear it.

The crown prince gave the twins a look of approval. His relaxed posture tensed as he began to speak again. "As you already know, Nohr and Hoshido have been battling a cold war for almost fifteen years now. Neither side has declared full-blown war yet, though Father and his council are expecting one soon. And while we have the numbers and experience to back us up, Hoshido has not seen a war in centuries," Xander began to pace back and forth, while Corrin and Kamui stared, fully focused on Xander. "What they lack in experience and numbers, they make up with funds and resources, both of which Nohr has exhausted just trying to feed it's citizens." Corrin tried her best to control her rage. "While Nohrian lives suffer through the long, harsh famines and winters, Queen Mikoto and her children enjoy comfortable lives under the sun with plenty of food in their stomachs." Xander stopped in front of Corrin. "Conquering powerless countries and taking what we need has never been an issue for us. But this time will be different. This time, we are not simply overthrowing a weaker government and taking what we need. We are going up against what is probably our only equal. And without strong, capable leaders to guide us through our darkest hour-"

"What he wants to say is," Leo sighed, annoyed. Corrin wandered if he had heard this information countless times before. "Both of you are being transferred to the capital. Well, you probably knew that, what with half of your belongings being packed up right now." Kamui and Corrin raised their heads in pride. They had been training rigorously for the past fifteen years for this moment. "In a month from today, we will be launching a siege against Hoshido. It will be the first battle of the war. And at the front lines, you two will be leading it."

AN

Here's Corrin's chapter. Not much to say. There's a lot of dialogue. o-o

So I didn't get to explore her character as much as I hoped, so I decided she will also be the POV for the next chapter.


	5. The Journey

When she learned they would be travelling on foot, Corrin had worried. She would never admit her duel with Xander had taken quite a toll on her, mentally and physically; that would be one and the same as defeat. Yet she was struggling to keep her eye lids from falling, and her feet had starting aching before they even made it to the stables just beyond the fortress. The once-tireless warrior whose slices shook the earth and fierceness that knew no bounds was no more. Instead, the young princess was on the verge of wobbling and weaving almost like Kamui, who didn't have that much stamina to begin with, through thick, blackened bramble, grasping for air at every stop. Her shoes – or lack of – was certainly not helping her case. Pain from recent blisters resurfaced with every step, and though her butler could mend any physical damage to her body with a simple spell, he did not possess anything that could defend against nature's traps. At this point, Camilla's long, skinny ebony heels looked like a blessing. And her armor! Corrin's plates of silver and black her wonderful servants had polished for her the night before were dull and covered in dust and earth, and small scratches from the walk. Not to mention the weight!

While Corrin sagged with exhaustion, one feeling alone was enough to keep her head high: the feeling of being outside – of being free. The strong, chilly winds had mellowed down to a slight breeze and every so often a patch of grass that hadn't quite died yet would soften her feet. It had taken a bit of effort on her part, but she had grown accustomed to the….rather unpleasant musty smell in the air, but it was at least more interesting than the typical dust and candle smoke of the fortress. The landscape left Corrin somewhat disappointed, as for miles all that she could see was withered, twisted trees and the occasional sea of dying bushes. It was the same sight for miles and miles. Aside from cries of the crows, no signs of life could be seen. It was a shame. Corrin was hoping they would spot a Nohrian Wolfskin, at the very least. Nohr's environment left a lot to be desired. However, she found herself enjoying the scenery every so often. Amongst decayed grasses and blackened trees, every once and a while, the party would catch sight of wood and stone debris from former construction.

"Our kingdom is not always shrouded in darkness," She recalled a bedtime story Xander and Camilla had read to her on a night she found it particularly hard to sleep, "every few generations the skies above Hoshido and Nohr briefly change. Life will return to Nohr for a short period of time, while illness and death will plague Hoshido. We enjoy bright skies and warm weather for a whole year, before the skies change. Some people believe the clashing of the light and dark dragon to be the cause of this. The less superstitious believe it is nature's way of keeping balance. Regardless," Camilla smiled softly at a young, drowsy Corrin, who, failing to stay awake, began to slowly lose grip on the torn, stuffed bear she had been clinging to, while Xander continued. "It is during this short window of time, Nohr thrives." How she longed for the days spoken of in the stories.

Disappointment plagued her heart, but it was to be expected, given the condition of her kingdom. The sun had not rose over Nohrian skies in decades. With mineral mines running dry and unsalvageable soil, Nohr could barely afford to feed its people, let alone fund environmental protection organizations and rebuild crumbling facilities. Seeing the destruction and remains of her fallen kingdom filled her with both sorrow and hope.

While Leo and Xander engaged in deep conversation, Camilla watched the group from behind, keeping tabs on the group. She helped Felicia and Jakob support Kamui, who had been straggling quite a few feet behind the group. Elise, having quickly grown bored of the advanced topics her brothers discussed, found entertainment in Corrin, demanding her attention pretty much the entire trip. The dragon princess appreciated the warmth from her small hand, even if it was minimal.

"That one looks like Leo," the youngest princess pointed to a decayed tree twisted in the vague form of a face, smirking innocently. While Corrin chuckled and Xander smiled ever so subtly, Leo merely responded with a cold, unamused glare. Meanwhile….

"Are….we there yet?" Through heavy breaths, Kamui repeated for the thirtieth time. Leo and Corrin rolled their eyes, while Felicia, who had been tasked with carrying the groups food and supplies, dropped everything to support the collapsing prince as he fell to his knees. Pools of sweat dripped down his scarlet face, and his feet shook frantically. His legs looked as though they might crunch and snap off like the countless leaves and branches did if met with even the slightest amount of force.

"M'lord, do not overexert yourself," shoving anyone and everything out of his way, including the bouncing Elise, flying as Jakob rushed to his liege's aid.

"Pick yourself up, brother," Leo stared at Kamui, no emotion visible on his face. He approached the struggling prince and extended his arm. "This sight is ill-befitting of a prince of Nohr."

A disapproving frown began to form from Jakob's lips and he opened his mouth slightly as if to say something, but faded before anything could be said. It was a surprise to Corrin that he could control his attitude so well. The aloof butler had a tendency to lose control of his tongue when speaking to anyone who was not one of his lords. As a personal retainer of the princess, his occasional disrespect towards the other Nohrian royals was overlooked most of the time, whereas another servant would be hanged on the spot for looking at one the wrong way. And he certainly embraced this benefit.

Corrin was more interested in her twin's reaction. For the first time since they left, Kamui looked straight at Leo, crimson eyes burning with what she thought might be excitement, as if instantly revitalized by some mysterious force. His expression faded just as quickly as it had formed as he was pulled upward by Leo.

"Oh, my sweet Kamui…" Camilla waltzed in a gloomy fashion as she aggressively snatched Kamui from behind, to the displeasure of both Jakob and Leo. "Please, let me carry you the rest of the way. I insist."

For a moment, Kamui welcomed his sister's warm embrace. This relief was short-lived as, once again, he began to shift his eyes uncomfortably as he considered whether or not to accept the proposal. As if reading his mind, Xander came to his rescue.

"While Kamui appreciates your help," the high prince crossed his arms sternly, "I must agree with Leo on this one. How would it look to the people if their lord could not even walk without assistance? And besides, this is a perfect opportunity for Kamui to prove himself to Father."

Unconvinced, Camilla clutched Kamui tighter, as though he might fly away. "It won't matter if the darling faints before we make it to the courtyard."

"How would it look to our enemies," this time, Leo chimed in. "The snakes of the court would pounce on any sign of weakness from a noble such as yourself. I hear they recently heard from Father that we have captured Hoshidan spies masquerading as merchants inside the city…."

Reluctantly, Camilla let out a deep sigh and released Kamui from her embrace. "Fine. But if Kamui even shows the slightest hint of fainting, I will not be convinced again. The same goes for Corrin."

"You need not worry, Camilla" Xander walked forward ahead before turning backwards and abruptly waving his arm upward to the west, as if pointing towards something. She had to squint to see past the dark trees branches; Corrin's heart began to pound hard as she processed the sight. In the far distance, what appeared to be a red star could be seen twinkling faintly in the distance. Xander narrowed his eyes slightly has his attention turned towards Kamui, "We are slightly ahead of schedule. Father will be expecting us tomorrow evening. Perhaps we can rest once we reach the capital outskirts."

True to his promise, Xander allowed the group to set up camp outside a rather tall gate populated heavily with Nohrian soldiers and few civilians. The stone, cold walls felt oddly familiar to Corrin, despite the fact that it was her first visit. It was reminiscent of the old fortress, and the first area she had seen that did not look the same for miles. The capital city, Windmere, could be seen clearly in the close distance, red and yellow lights flickering radiantly as the towers and stone pillars of unique design loomed over above her from the cliff edge it stood on. The few buildings Corrin had seen so far all looked the same. Almost all of them needed repairs, cozy at best for a family of two, unkept, and made of old rock. Granted, most of these buildings were located in remote places in what Corrin guessed was considered country. Even from below, Corrin could tell the buildings of Windmere were unlike the typical rundown cottages and stables they had seen so far.

"It's beautiful," Corrin could hardly contain herself. She could only imagine what the city looked like from within. Pictures of a busy, bustling town filled with sparkling cobblestone roads and people of different cultures appeared in her mind, candlelight torches gleaming mysteriously at every corner. It was just like in her dreams. To think that the everyday people led their everyday lives with this in sight, she thought as she gazed upon it.

"And yours, dear. I simply cannot wait to show you around the castle," Camilla interrupted, while Elise nodded eagerly in agreement as she bounced around Corrin. "Of course, Father has prepared a room with a nice view of the gardens for you. After we settle in, perhaps Father will allow us time to take a stroll through them. Ah, the black roses and lilies after just marvelous."

"I want Big Sis and Big Bro to see my room," Elise chimed in, "and the big chapel where the priests go to pray with the big dragon statue. And the sparkly spinning thing in the dining room. Oh, and I guess the library with all of the books that Leo stays in all night."

"I'll have you know that library contains all of the history and secrets of Nohr. I have even secured a section of it for only my personal use, which contains extensive knowledge on magic and tactics," at the mention of strategy, Kamui's eyes sparkles slightly. It was almost as if he wasn't tired and hungry at all. Leo seemed to have noticed it as well, as he smiled proudly, "Of course, I don't mind sharing it with those of similar appreciation."

" _Boo_. Kamui doesn't care about your old, dusty books. Even you can't have him, Leo," the green-eyed Elise's whined, while Leo held his head high in triumph.

Kamui narrowed his eyes, unimpressed by the over-the-top decorations. "Castle Krakenburg is located in the pit of the city, am I correct? All of the buildings here are carefully placed, and have both a function and a purpose, from what I can see, but…." He closed his eyes in deep thought, "wouldn't it be safer to build the castle on the cliff at the top, rather than at the bottom? Invading soldiers could easily gain an advantage position if the war were to reach here."

"That is true, but it is not as strange as it sounds. Most of our forces are located in the castle. There is even a training ground there for new knights," Xander noted, "any reinforcements we send would have to fight an upwards battle. That being said, the walls above the castle also serve as protection against natural disasters and attacks from the sea. We are vulnerable to sky assaults, but the archers we carefully position on the highest levels of the city protect us."

"I see," Kamui muttered, though he continued to examine the city outskirts for a brief moment, before moving on.

The Nohrian royals were welcomed with freshly harvested fruit and purified water at the gates, as well as bows from the soldiers patrolling the camp's entrance. Jakob and Felicia were given smaller portions and familiar greetings from some knights Corrin did not recognize, before being sent off to retrieve the royals' luggage. They were shortly followed by Camilla, whom lamented about missing her 'darlings', and Xander, bearing an important message with the King's sigil on it for their Father. Only Leo and a bored Elise remained.

Scurrying knights wearing elaborate armor of scarlet and black stopped in their tracks and turned their heads as the family was accompanied through the gates. Some helmetless soldiers wearing light armor, trainees she guessed, stared in awe, ignoring taunts and scolds from the captains. The seniors did not seem at all interested in the Nohrian royals at all, concentrating almost solely on the dragon pair, though none dared to approach. Even with the clinks and clanks of steel armor, superior draconic hearing allowed her to hear their whispers.

"I told you," The voice of an excited young male, likely a new trainee, muttered to a peer "the story is true. "

"I don't care who they are. As long as they don't get between prince Xander and I, " a lovesick female mage sulking in a corner giggled as she masked her burning face with a tome. Corrin tried not to roll her eyes.

 _Incredible_ , Corrin thought as she watched the people go about their business. If they weren't a soldier or training to be one, most of the people who populated the city's gate appeared to be workers. At least, she hadn't yet spotted any regular citizens younger than fifteen. She observed a common middle-aged woman kindle a fire below steel pans with amazement. Her own food had always been baked and served for her. Never did she question how the servants did it. Not too far from the woman, an older man circled around a strange revolving steel wheel device held up by wooden planks. Next to the device, a younger man helped pull dull-looking swords of varying sizes and designs off a low wooden shelf, where the man would take them. Based on the scenery alone, Corrin guessed the device was used for sharpening or smelting weapons.

This was her first taste of life outside her fortress. It was the world she spent years of her life training for. Sure, it wasn't pretty. But it was _hers_.

"Look at that!" In one hand, Corrin poked Kamui's arm, and in the other, pointed towards a large ornate building. A banner with the King's crest flowed with the wind on one side of the building, while a banner with a black dragon adorned the other. Small cracks, dents, and other marks had been punctured into the building, likely from age. Mages seemed to flock to it more often than the soldiers, and it was of no surprise to Corrin, as the young princess had recalled seeing the famous chapel in a book Kamui had showed her. "It's the Noire de Eglise!" She turned excitedly twirled a perfect circle, almost as if imitating Elise, though not quite as enthusiastic, when he did not respond. "Kamui, _look_!

Confusion and unease quickly replaced her joy and her warm expression darkened quickly. Kamui did not seem to partake in the delight that the others did. In fact, he seemed caught in some kind of trance, staring at something far away, gaze unwavering. Sweat poured down his pale face, and his body looked stiff, like a statue, frozen in place.

Far past the scattered crowds of young knights, mages, and their captains, one group stood out amongst them all. Hooded men dressed head-to-toe in long, elaborate cloaks, tacky golden head-pieces and masks flocked together, like crows waiting to pick food off unsuspecting travelers. It was difficult, even for someone with dragon's blood, to identify any distinguishing features from the distance, but their lifeless, sickly flesh stood out against the dark of the night, and their skinny, bony hands clung to thick tomes tightly. They stood perfectly still, as though a part of them might snap off with even the lightest touch. Just looking at them left a nasty feeling in the dragon's stomach.

But that was not even the worst sight to be seen. Towering several feet above the warlocks, four zombies only vaguely resembling that of a human squirmed subtly in their steel chains, stained skin tight and rotting, only kept together by stitches and scars. Their black masks concealed their faces, to Corrin's relief, as she tried desperately not to gag at the sight of just their bodies.

The monsters' behaviors were not unlike that of puppets. They stood, moaning lowly in place while their masters muttered amongst themselves, undisturbed by anything. The princess was tempted to throw a rock at the creatures to see if they would respond, ultimately deciding against the idea to avoid the attention of the unnerving cloaked men, though she could not be entirely sure they would respond to anything either, with how motionless they were.

It was at that moment, that the unexpected occurred. While three of the green beasts calmly stood by their masters, the fourth, seemingly out of nowhere, began to thrash its arms, chains rattling as they shook. Nearby pebbles and debris flew in random directions as the creature went berserk, while nearby knights and workers screamed. Dark energy began to pour out of one of the dark mages, while he trembled in fear. And it all ended almost as soon as it had started. With the single movement of the sorcerer's finger, black sparks consumed the monster, evaporating it into nothing. Only the prints in the ground where it had once stood served as an indication that it had existed at all. The remaining creatures did not respond, indifferent and unaffected, as if nothing had happened. Corrin was unsure if she was amazed or disgusted.

"Hmph. How careless, " Leo, having noticed the twins shock at the sight, approached from behind, arms crossed behind his back. "We call them Faceless," Although he kept a neutral expression, his eyes bore a spark of wisdom and interest. "They really are quite grotesque. When unattended, they know only destruction, terrorizing and eliminating everything around them, even themselves. Neither their humanity nor their souls returned to their bodies when they reanimated. These creatures are the merely shells of man, without a will or purpose to guide them. I can't say I enjoy the sight, but I must admit that they are the product of remarkable creation- the joining of science and magic."

"Why…." Kamui continued to observe the Face, expression unmoving, whispering in a low voice, "why would someone do that?"

Leo took a defensive stance.

"Brother, do not, for a moment think that I find this pleasurable. I have asked Father time and again to put a ban on the reanimating of corpses. Morality aside, the process is quite brutal and they are neither reliable nor predictable, as you have just witnessed. Even if their very nature is fascinating," Leo grimaced. "We may have superior weaponry, but we still need skilled men to make good use of them. The volunteers and draftees we keep here simply do not make the cut, most of the time. Trained, experienced men are expensive. In order to preserve resources, we either conquer them or recycle them. Besides," the dark mage pointed to his tome, "do you recall the times you begged me to lend you the strategy books from my personal library? And the next time I came to visit, you had already memorized the entirety of its contents. Think, brother, of what you can do with all of this at your disposal."

Kamui did not respond. A strange, unreadable look formed on his face as he turned his attention to his younger brother, at a loss for words.

"Look," Leo started, having caught on to the tense air, "I don't agree with these methods, but we are at war. It simply must be done. If we fail Father, he has reason to suspect we're losing our worth, and-" His face darkened as he swiftly turned, "Our kingdom needs you."

Corrin cocked her head in confusion. What did he mean by that last part?

"Wait," she called out. But it was too late. In a matter of seconds, Leo disappeared among the soldiers. _Dammit, Leo,_ Corrin gritted her teeth. _You can't say something like that, and then just walk off._

"C'mon Kamui", she shook her head in confusion as she took her twin's cold hand, who kept staring off into the distance, in her hand and tugged lightly. It made her uncomfortable to see his eyes so cloudy and dull, especially when they had only barely seen the outside world. She worked hard to earn their freedom, and she wasn't about to let him waste it. "Let's go get some sleep."

AN

Im back. I got kinda bored writing this chapter


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